A Twist In the Darkness
by Tempest-Dragona
Summary: When you look at anything from a different perspective, the story changes. When you stop looking and start feeling, the story becomes a different book altogether. There are keys to everything, you just have to know how to 'look', but when all else fails c
1. Default Chapter

Prologue

Darkness...A blank void in existence in which no light is seen. There are sayings, you know, that Darkness can't hurt you, that, like all things, its opposite, the Light, can always defeat it. Well I say what about the other way around? If you can defeat the Darkness with the Light, wouldn't that mean you could defeat the Light with the Darkness? I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that, but I'm willing to bet I'm the only one who knows it for a fact.

_"I'm not afraid of the Darkness!"_

Foolish words...Ones I shall never forget, and ones I shall always regret using. The very instant they left my lips, I knew it was a mistake, but I wasn't about to let that get into my way, nor let the evil consuming me know I feared it, even if only in the slightest at that time.

_"Open yourself to the Darkness..."_

Another foolish thing if there ever was one. But the power...Oh the power in itself was intriguing! Any person in their right mind would gladly hand over what they had for that kind of power had they been in my shoes! You couldn't possibly even begin to comprehend how it felt. The surge of raw energy coursing through my veins, the nearly tangible substance as it flowed through my body. It was paradise...Was paradise.

Its always hardest to tell when someone is lying and when they're not when you're face to face with the problem. I had, at first, joined sides with the Darkness to strengthen myself for my friends. I needed to help them, help Sora find Kairi. What a mistake that had seemed to be! The idea that my best friend had betrayed me was hammered into my brain, and I believed every sour word of it. The thought of Sora not needing me any more filled me with a bitterness I can't even attempt to put into words. I wanted, at that moment, to yell, hit, even _kill_ him. But I couldn't. Something inside of me told me that it wasn't true, yet even still I went along with the evil.

So time went on. I had challenged Sora several times as an innocent kid at mock duels, yet now the hatred flowing through me demanded something a bit more fierce. The first time was nothing serious. It was nothing I couldn't handle, but the second time, my...controller decided he would take things into his own hands. That's when I remember Pretender coming to me. I don't know how it happened, or even why for that matter, but there was an offered comfort in the Keyblade that made me feel less alone. Less superficial you might say, and the hatred I felt for Sora depleted itself.

I'm sure by now you're wondering just where I'm going with this. Well, a good amount of time has passed since these events. No 30 years or anything, mind you, just a couple as far as I know. At the end of it all, Sora saved the Worlds, just like we all knew he would, yet even in his triumphant closing of the Door...Darkness has made itself known once again.

So now here I am. Stuck in a place one can't even describe with words, nor a name. If you've heard of Traverse Town, you'd think this was its evil twin, if cities could have twins that is. Its Dark, go figure, and clammy, and it smells of death and decay. The very walls seem to breathe and its inhabitants are vicious and unruly. Heartless? Not hardly. Lost in the Darkness? Forever.

You don't look for friends in a place like this. You don't look for anything in particular but a way out, and everybody is striving to get there. Have any of us found it yet? I wouldn't be here talking to you if we had. Of course, we meet the Light, but we're to destroy it as quickly as it flickers. Like a ferocious wind to an innocent candle flame. We swarm onto the Light like rabid beasts on raw meat, and we tear it apart just as viciously. Its never a pretty sight, but that, of course, is our way of life. And if we wish to live, we obey.

Well now you know what things are like, here on our side of the Door. The Darkness is no ally of mine, but it is my Master, my keeper, and my strength. Pretender, my weapon, my confidant, my only friend. My mission? Destroy the Keyblade Masters.


	2. The Storm

Chapter I

((I would like to take up this space to say that there is a scene below that requires one to know the language of Al Bhed. No, I'm not telling you to buy Final Fantasy X-X2 {Though they are both excellent games!} and I'm not telling you to get an Al Bhed Translator, I'm just saying if you know the language, you'll better understand the scene. _However!_ If you DON'T know it, that's fine too. Below this Chapter, I'll write it all out in English so you can understand it without knowing the language. So don't get disgruntled if you can't read it, just scroll down to the Translated Version.))

_The Storm..._

The wind howled viciously, sending chills along the spines of any who heard its screams of sheer agony. Lightning tore across the sky, seeming to rip open its black nothingness and pour the ghastly world with light, only long enough for the next streak to take its place. Thunder bellowed, letting its presence be known to all who stood beneath the sky. The rain poured thickly, the evil looking clouds dumping it onto the empty seeming streets below. All this chaos meant nothing to the only being brave enough to venture into the night. A gloved hand flexed in its tight grip on the side of one of the buildings, a black trench coat flailing madly in the violent wind. A soft, content seeming sigh left the figure's lips, his head tilted back to greet the rain. Wet, silvery white hair slapped his face, yet he payed it no mind. Lightning streaked the sky again, forcing the male to step back away from the building's edge. He reached slowly into his pocket, his gloved fingers fumbling along a silkily piece of material for a moment. With a shake of the head he brought the cloth out of his pocket and tied it about his head, covering his eyes.

"Blasted Light..." he growled, then made his way back inside the building.

The gentle hum of the generators was a great difference from the hammering of the storm outside. The smell, however, would have been sickening had he not been used to it by now. He ran a hand through his hair, ridding it of some of the water, then ruffled his trench to do the same. The weight of the water was something he didn't need if unwanted company were to spring at him. The building, however, seemed unoccupied, which didn't dampen Riku's spirits at all.

He made his way to a set of stairs, walking as if he could see it all, although he could not. His senses knew this building well, for he was in it enough. He had made this place his home, and had decided if he were going to live in it, he was going to be able to maneuver all around it. It wasn't, however, a place he inhabited on his own. A few others, lost to the Darkness like himself, stayed within these walls, but never made a move to annoy nor bug him. Perhaps they stayed because they knew nothing would come to harm a creature as dark as he.

The thought made him chuckle. A mirthless sound if he'd ever heard one. But that's what this kind of place did to a person. It sucked the joys in life, anything happy completely away from you. He couldn't count how many times he had watched a person crack. Never a pleasant experience. The worst one that came to memory was a little girl he had become quite fond of. She couldn't have been older then four when her home was Lost to Darkness' claws. He remembered talking to her day-by-day, and had become quite used to her being around, but one day he had found her curled up in a corner, her back to the world behind her. He of course approached her, looking to help, but the aura of her spirit when she turned around made him wrench back in both disgust and horror.

He shuddered at the mental image it had given him, and still was able to recall itself. He was glad that he couldn't see her features, only sense them. For what he could imagine, and what was truly done, were two completely different things.

In nearly every aspect, Riku would still perceive himself as somewhat of a child. A more morbid child, maybe, but still a child none-the-less. Perhaps one not so innocent as most. Another mirthless chuckle. He knew all to well that he was unlike all the other children...Teenagers his age. What would Sora and Kairi think of him now?

He frowned at the thought. "Who cares?" he spat. He'd been trapped within the Darkness for some time now, it had been at least two years since he had last seen his best friend. That was the day he had lost his vision, perhaps the last of his innocence as well.

He lifted a hand to touch his eyes, but quickly withdrew it. He shook his head violently, as if to clear his thoughts, but it didn't help. It never did.

_'You're still going on about them abandoning you?'_

The mental voice caused him to jump. He blinked a few times as his Keyblade called itself to his hand. He sighed deeply and sat himself down in an old, dusty chair and idly stroked the weapon's hilt.

_'Honestly, Master Riku....' _the Keyblade's tone seemed to frown all in its self. _'They haven't abandoned you and you know as much for a fact.'_

Riku shook his head. "I will never understand how you can be so sure of things all the time, my friend." he continued his affectionate gesture to the Keyblade.

_'It's a matter of knowing in Heart, Master Riku.' _the Keyblade was nearly purring now.

Riku had always found it odd that a mystical weapon such as a Keyblade would become over joyed by such a small thing as being petted. "Knowing in Heart, you say, Pretender?"

_'Yes, Master Riku, I do.' _ the Keyblade responded.

The boy took a moment to think on these words, his head tilting to one side. "I don't think I'd qualify for any knowledge of Heart. I do believe that first requires one to own a Heart.'

Pretender sighed. _'How many times must we go through this?'_

Riku chuckled. "As many times as it takes.'

_'Apparently.' _the weapon snorted before continuing. _'You, my ever so overly dramatic Master, must have a Heart, do you know why?'_

He glanced around for a moment, pretending at the time as if he could see. "Because I get heart burn when I eat any of the food down here?"

Again, the Keyblade sighed. _'No. If I had eyes, Master Riku, I'd roll them.' _the weapon paused for a moment, seeming to think. _'You must have a Heart because you are capable of summoning me at will.'_

"Ah," Riku grinned. "But you're a Dark Keyblade."

_'That makes no difference!' _Pretender retorted, seeming vastly insulted by that comment. _'I am STILL a Keyblade!'_

"Ok, ok!" Riku laughed, the sound a bit more mirthful then before. "I believe you. How very typical of you, my friend." he smiled, running his hand along the length of the Keyblade. "You always cheer me up when times are rough."

_'Of course! That is what I am here for, Master Riku!' _ the Keyblade shimmered affectionately.

"How very typical of us." Riku sighed softly, leaning back in his chair. "How very typical indeed."

_'What's that?' _

"Us." the boy responded, his smile fading somewhat into a more sleepy one. "Be my eyes, Pretender."

_'Of course, Master Riku. Rest well.'_

With a jolting start, Riku's eyes snapped open. Dark nothingness peered back at him, but he knew he was no longer alone. The Keyblade in his hand quivered gently as Riku tried to pin point just who/what and where this intrusion to his sleep was located. The soft ruffle of material caught his ears, forcing the eyes he couldn't see out of to turn in that direction, but not his head. His grip flexed on Pretender, which slowly started to lift, before the cool sensation of metal was pressed up against his throat.

"Move and you die, Keyblade Master." the weapon's wielder was obviously female, and due to the accent to her voice, Riku could tell that English was not her first language. "Banish the Keyblade, and I shall let you stand."

Banish the Keyblade? That was something easy enough to counter if he was in a bind. With a flex of his fist, Pretender vanished from Riku's grasp, and no sooner had that been done was the weapon removed from his throat. Slowly he climbed to his feet, his features relaxed even in his current situation. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone a little more snarky then he'd have liked.

"It is nothing that I, myself want, Keyblade Master."

"Really? The pray tell, why are you here?"

"Delivering a message." the female responded.

"You don't say?" he arched an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

"Your time has nearly run out."

The shifting of her feet told Riku she was lunging. He called Pretender back to his hand and forced the Keyblade upward, blocking the rushed attack. With an irritated snort, the girl jumped back, flipping the weapon Riku couldn't identify into a better hold as he himself dropped into an offensive stance. The apartment wasn't exactly his idea of a good battle arena, he'd have much rather them been outside. Another attack. He tossed Pretender up into a defensive hold once again and listened as what sounded like a sword met his own, a completely different sound from the strike before. It was like she was switching weapons, or at least had two! If only he could see! A growl of frustration escaped his grasp as he stepped into his own set of attacks, meeting the other's weapon with nearly every blow.

'Damn it!' he shouted mentally. This was getting to be too much for him to control.

A soft snicker caught his ears over the loud clanking of the weapons. She was laughing! And at him! He scowled at that and stepped forward with his left foot, bringing his weapon up for an over head attack. The weapons locked. Two sets of teeth, now locked together.

"A Keyblade?" Riku's face scrunched in confusion.

"Yes, a Keyblade." the girl's breathing had picked up, their battle obviously having excited her a bit, as if it were just a game.

"How? I thought there were only four!"

"You thought wrong." the girl mused. "I'd like you to meet Desolation."

"Desolation?" Riku raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you'll find her's a very-"

"Julian!" a third voice broke through the room, forcing the girl to turn her attention.

Riku blinked as the weight against his Keyblade lessened, his own attention drawing towards the new comer.

"Fryd yna oui tuehk?!" again the second voice called out.

"E fyc tamevanehk dra saccyka." Riku's challenger responded.

"Fedr ouin Keyblade?!"

Riku lowered his blade as the other did the same. This other female, he was guessing it was female, obviously had some impact on his attacker.

"E fych'd kuehk du rind res..."

"Dryd," the other boomed. "Ec HUD dra buehd! Oui fana cibbucat du keja res dra saccyka yht kad uid!"

Riku took a half step back. He didn't understand a word either of them were saying and it was starting to make his head hurt.

"Ymnekrd, Atari!" the first snapped, the sound of her Keyblade dropping to her side echoed through the now silent room. "E fyhdat du caa ev ra fyc ib du byn un hud!"

"Famm, oui cruimth'd ryja." the other's voice was venomus. "Get home."

The familiar sound of a Keyblade banished made its way through the silence that had once again befell upon the room. Foot steps were heard as Riku's opponent made her way away from him, crossing the floor at a slow trudge.

"Remember her words, Keyblade Master," the second girl growled. "Your time is nearly up."

He kept Pretender at hand, even when he knew the two girls were gone. His grip flexed, his fingers tightening on the Keyblade's hilt. An irritated, shaky sigh left his lips as he turned from the open window. He re-crossed the floor to his chair, plopping down into it and placing a hand to his face. It was in that moment he heard a familiar mental click. His head shot up and his mouth slowly dropped open as a hoard of Heartless slowly climbed up out of the floor.

((A/N: BUWHAHAHA!!!!! Lookit what I did!!! Don'tcha just HATE that?! grins Keeps ya coming' back for more, I say! Oh yes, as I promised, the Translations for the above scene shall be below. nods Yush, it shall. Just because I felt I should be nice. sigh I didn't have to translate you know. But I did it anyways. So, here they are...))

((Translated Scene))

"What are you doing?!" again the second voice called out.

"I was delivering the message." Riku's challenger responded.

"With your Keyblade?!"

Riku lowered his blade as the other did the same. This other female, he was guessing it was female, obviously had some impact on his attacker.

"I wasn't going to hurt him..."

"That," the other boomed. "Is NOT the point! You were supposed to give him the message and get out!"

Riku took a half step back. He didn't understand a word either of them were saying and it was starting to make his head hurt.

"Alright, Atari!" the first snapped, the sound of her Keyblade dropping to her side echoed through the now silent room. "I wanted to see if he was up to par or not!"

"Well, you shouldn't have." the other's voice was venomus. "Get home."

((A/N: There you have it! The translated version! Happy? Good! XD Now leave Reviews! I like those!))


	3. Clicks and Keys

Chapter II

Silence. The storm thundering outside seemed to be muted, the rain that splattered against the windows made no sound. The Heartless spread through out the room were soundless as they seemed to melt in through the very walls. Panic. That was the first reaction that blitzed through Riku's mind.

_'This isn't good...'_ Pretender shimmered in his hand warningly.

"Thank you, oh Master of the Obvious." Riku slowly backed up. "How do I get out?"

_'Door's blocked.'_

"Window?" his back met the wall solidly.

_'Open.' the Keyblade replied._

"Lets do it then."

He dropped down into an offensive stance and swung into a raid of quick, merciless blows. The Heartless seemed to both scatter and swarm at the same time, hissing and spitting at Riku as the Keyblade wielder slashed through their masses. He cleared himself a path to the window.

_'If you're going to do this, Master Riku, I'd suggest you stop playing around and do so now!'_

Riku positioned himself in the window with no comment to the Keyblade. Without a second thought, he flung himself into the vicious down pour of the storm, allowing the weightless feeling to over take him. His grip tightened instinctively on Pretender as he pulled the weapon to his chest, crossing his arms for a quicker fall. A mass of Heartless sprung up from the ground, awaiting the boy to land. What looked like a black wave poured from the building, enveloping it's dismal color in no time flat. With a grunt, Riku landed, forcing himself into tucked roll to absorb some of the impact, before springing to his feet again in a dead run.

"Incompetence!" the voice bellowed through the nearly empty chamber, causing the girl kneeled in the center of it to wince. "I simply will NOT stand for it!"

"My lord," the girl started. "I-"

"NONE of your excuses, Julian!" again the girl winced. "You were to deliver your message and return here! How devestatingly difficult is that to understand?!"

Her head lifted at that. "I just wanted to see if he was-" a solid blow to the face cut her words short, forcing her head turned to absorb the impact.

"I care not of what you wanted to see." the other growled. "Do not disobey my orders again, or so help me, you WILL meet the same fate as the others!"

She looked back at him, her eyes narrowed darkly.

"Do you understand?!" he roared, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

Her teeth gritted, tears she refused to let fall welled up in her eyes. "Yes, Lord Teluha..."

"Good." he snorted. "Now get out of my sight."

Her head bowed for a breif moment before she lifted herself to her feet. Turning on a heel, she strode out of the room, her fists clenched tightly at her sides, allowing the doors of the room to slam shut with a hollow echo behind her.

"This is BAD!" Riku shouted, pacing the length of the floor in one of the older buildings. "That clicking sound, I KNOW that clicking sound!" he growled in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "But where...and when?! And the Heartless!" he thundered, throwing his hands up as turning in his steps to pace the opposite direction. "What are THEY doing back?!" he paused, turning his attention elsewhere. "DON'T look at me like that! I'm NOT a looney!"

The fuzzy black tabby cat blinked only once at the human. It merped softly, its tail flicking indignantly, as if insulted by the fact of being accused.

_'Master Riku,'_ Pretender's mental voice was soft. _'This may just be rummor amongst Magical Weapons, but hear me out. When a human, such as yourself, starts talking to animals, and sounding as if they expect them to talk back, that classifies them as a looney.'_

Riku ignored the Keyblade and continued to pace, a hand pressed thoughtfully to his chin. "Its so familiar..." he mumbled, half pausing in his steps before turning in the countered direction again.

Pretender sighed heavily. _'Perhaps you should sleep on it, you never know, it may help.'_

Again he ignored the Keyblade, mumbling incoherent things to himself as he paced.

_'Or, perhaps not. Which ever you choose...'_ the Keyblade muttered sarcastically.

"I've heard it before!" Riku growled, putting his hands to his forehead. "But where?!"

"It shouldn't be this difficult to figure out." the voice broke in from the door way, breaking Riku's train of frustrating thought.

He turned quickly, bringing Pretender into an offensive hold.

"Jumpy, aren't we?" the figure who spoke was male, Riku could tell that much.

"What do you want?" Pretender remained gripped firmly in his hand.

"Only to help you stop trying to explode what little brain cells you currently have left." the other retorted, folding his arms. "And you can put the Keyblade away. I don't plan on attacking you any time soon, Riku."

Riku started at that, loweing the Keyblade slowly. "How do you know my name...?"

"Boy," the other mused. "Aren't those classic Hollywood words. Seems anytime you have two sets of people, and one knows more then the other, the one who knows less always has a 'How do you know...' type question."

Riku didn't respond to this, he relaxed his stance slowly and arched an eyebrow at the other.

"Let us just say that I know all about you, Riku. Probably more then you yourself know, and I know that you know there are only two people in all the worlds who know you like we do."

The Keyblade in Riku's hand vanished with a small pop of displaced air. "Sora..."

"You know, you're damn near impossible to track down. If it weren't for Avenger, I'd STILL be looking for your skinny ass. You move around pretty well for a blind guy."

"How did you...?" Riku took a half step forward.

"Get here?" Sora mused, folding his arms once again. "That's easy, Riku. You know that clicking sound you heard? Think Big. White. Doors."

Riku froze, every muscle in his body going stiff as his color slowly depleted. The Doors, they were open again? But that would mean...

"How?" he finally choked out.

"With that half of things, you know as much as I do, my friend, which is absolutely nothing."

Riku looked at the other for a long, drawn out moment, his mouth hung slightly open to show he could think of nothing to say in response.

"So," Sora clapped his hands together, his tone a bit too cheery for Riku's liking. "Onto the bad half of things."

((Ok....I'm too tired to really make this go on any further. I shall, however, make up for it with the next Chapter. I don't know what else to say....Uh......I'd show you the Dancing Dragon Duo...But they went on strike for lack of pay....I didn't know they needed to be payed....shrugs))


	4. Troubled Masters

Chapter III

"Bad part of things?" Riku arched an eyebrow. "Aren't the Door being open and the Heartless being back around the bad part of things?"

"Well, those do issue a problem." Sora nodded, folding his arms. "But somehow that isn't the problem I'm most concerned with."

"I would think," Riku started. "That the Door being open would be the biggest problem in YOUR eyes, seeing as how you closed it. Unless there's something utterly wrong with Kairi."

"First off, I didn't close the Door alone, second, Kairi is fine, all of the Princesses of Heart are fine, which-"

"Which brings to mind my next questions. Where are your dumb-founded commrads at arms?"

Sora snorted softly at the bitter tone to Riku's voice. "Boy, someone sure sounds jealous. For your information, Donald and Goofy weren't as dumb-founded as you'd like to believe. They helped me out a lot when YOU were trying to kill me."

Riku opened his mouth to speak in protest to these words, but was cut off before he could start.

"And when we found Mickey, they went back with him."

"I wasn't trying to kill you." Riku frowned, folding his arms over his chest rather defensively.

"Dismantle me then. Does that sound better?" Sora rolled his eyes at the other. "For crying out loud, Riku, you came at me with a sword, a sharp sword no less. It wasn't just some kiddy duel with a wooden stick like old times, and it was all because you believed the Darkness over me. Me! Your best friend! You thought YOU were hurt and felt betrayed! At least I didn't come after you intentionally!"

The silence that followed Sora's words was plainful, nearly as painful as the words that had been spoken themselves. Riku's visionless gaze met the floor, as did Sora's vicious seeming one do the same. They stood, only feet apart, with their heads bowed, neither saying a word towards one another, or even daring to breathe in the other's direction.

"Well, I must say!" the newest addition to the room stepped forward slowly, forcing both boy's heads to lift. "This is adorable, really! Two of all the Worlds' most annoying gentlemen here, in one place, saving me the trouble of having to hunt them down seperately. I am most impressed."

"You." Sora growled, turning to face the other.

"Of course me, Sora dear. Who else did you expect, honestly?"

"Where's Kairi?!" Sora snapped viciously.

Riku's ears caught the sound of a Keyblade, but who's was the question that had come to his mind. "I thought you said Kairi was fine!"

"Oh she is!" the new comer mused. "She's just...Getting a look through a whole new set of eyes."

"Answer me!" Sora raged, stepping forward.

"Temper, temper..." the other tsked. "Violence shall get you no where. I'd have thought you learned that the last time, Keyblade Master."

"I'll only ask you one more time, Julian." Sora spit the name like a curse, forcing Riku to start a bit. "Where is Kairi?"

"If I told you she was perfectly safe, would you quit your belly aching and shut up?" the girl's voice was airy, as if irritated.

"No." Sora growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Congratulating the Betrayer." Juli mused once again.

"On what?" Riku arched an eyebrow in her direction.

"Your ever so marvelling stupidity, of course." she responded briskly.

Sora snorted at this, but said nothing.

"I told you, gave you fair warning that your time was running out, but you did not listen to me."

"I've never been one to listen very well to a threat." Riku retorted.

Juli snorted herself at this. "Not once was it said to be a threat."

"You attacked me!"

"No, I simply tested you."

"And the red mark making such a fashion statement on your face suggests just what kind of liking your Lord took to that." Sora smirked.

"Indeed." Juli's tone took a dangerous turn.

"How many strikes is that now, Juli?" Sora relaxed his stance a great deal. "I don't think you've any left, do you?"

The girl was silent.

"Tell me," he continued. "What happened when you run out of chances. Do you go back to being Darkness' Head Bitch?"

The sharp sound of metal against metal shot through the room like a gun shot, forcing Riku to stagger back a step. Sora let out a mocking chuckle, which earned a frustrated growl of response from Juli. When the sound again echoed through the room, their feet ceased, telling Riku they'd locked blades.

"What's the matter, Julian?" Sora let her name roll off his tongue tauntingly. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"Becareful, Keyblade Master." Juli growled again, the sound of their blades separating ringing through the room. "I hold the out come of your precious Kairi's Fate!" she wrenched something from her cloak, causing Sora to gasp.

"No!" he moved forward a step, his Keyblade hitting the ground.

"Back off!" Juli commanded. "Or I shall destroy it AND her!"

Sora hit his knees at this, earning a confused look from Riku. "No, don't..."

"What is going on?!" Riku yelled, finally having had enough of being left in the dark.

"You heed my message, Betrayer." Juli snarled at him, then turned and departed as quickly as she had entered.

"No!" again the cry left Sora's lips as he jumped to his feet, ready to go after the girl. Riku, howeverm reached out and siezed his arm, pulling him back. "Let go, Riku!" Sora yelled.

"I thought you said Kairi was alright!" Riku raised his voice in response, throwing the other back a couple of steps.

"I lied!" Sora snagged his Keyblade from the floor, holding it defensively. "I don't know WHERE she is! Just that the sisters have her!"

"Sisters? What sisters?!" Riku was becoming annoyed by this point.

"Atari and Julian." Sora caught his explosive temper with the shutting of his eyes.

"Who are they?" Riku too calmed his tone.

"No one really knows." Sora ran a hand down his face. "Just that they were lost to the Darkness. When the Door was closed, they became known as THE Lost, now they serve a man by the name of Teluha."

Riku took a moment to let this new information sink in. "What of the other Princesses?"

"Fine. They're all fine. Which is why I don't understand what someone would want wit Kairi. If they don't want the others, why do they want her?"

_'There, there, Master Sora...'_ the Keyblade gripped in the younger boy's hand shimmered softly. _'All will be well with given time.'_

"Thanks Avenger..." Sora mumbled quietly.

"What is Mickey doing about this new turn of events?" Riku asked softly.

"There's nothing he can do at the moment. We don't have enough information about what's going on for him to do anything about it."

"On our own then..."

Sora sighed heavily. "So it would seem..."

Exhaustion was something Riku had become extreamly familiar with over his years behind the Door. He learned ways, over his time, to get around it whenever possible. Sora was sat in one of the chairs, sound asleep, Riku figured due to his breathing pattern. He himself remained on his feet, stood at one of the windows, gazing into the dark nothingness his eyes showed him. His mind swam with thoughts, most of them wondering what he and Sora were to do about Kairi, and how they were to get her away from these sisters. If they could get her away. There was no telling what they had or had not already done to poor Kairi.

He shook his head at that thought. Juli had said that Kairi was fine, but was she saying that just to shut Sora up? And what was it that she has that was so valuable to Sora? It obviously held some importance to Kairi's life, else his best friend would not have freaked out the way he did.

The hard, thoughtful expression written across Riku's face faded slowly into a somewhat hurt one. Best friend? You don't try and kill your best friend. He shook his head. Sora was right, he had no place in doing what he had done. Believing the Darkness over his childhood friend? Darkness, however, was strongly convicing. It made promises to deliver one's biggest wish to them.

He blinked. The sisters. What was it that they had been promised? Why had they willingly opened themselves to Darkness' call? Or did they? Again he shook his head.

_'You're doing it again...'_ Pretender's mental voice was monotone.

"Doing what again?" Riku asked softly.

_'Thinking too hard. Master Riku, if you keep this up, I'm sorry to say, your head shall explode.'_

Riku snorted. "I'm harming nothing in thinking, Pretender."

_'Aside from your brain, correct?'_

"Exactly, I-" Riku paused, then frowned. "Not funny, Keychain."

Pretender gasped as if deeply insulted. _'I am no Keychain!'_

_'Zat so?'_ Avenger's mental voice was sleepy.

_'Yes, that is so!'_ Pretender snapped.

_'Oh, I always figured you were a scrawny twig with screwy branches.'_

Again Pretender gasped. _'Why you sorry excuse for a rusty pipe!'_

It was Avenger's turn to gasp. _'I beg your pardon?!'_

_'You can beg all you'd like!'_ Pretender snorted. _'But you're STILL a sorry excuse for a rusty pipe!'_

Riku chuckled softly as the Keyblades continued their argument. He lifted his Keyblade-free hand to his face, rubbing it slowly and tiredly.

"Sleep, Riku." Sora's sudden arise into the land of the awake caused Riku to jump nearly a foot. "I'll take my turn at post now."

After a moment, Riku nodded, crossing the floor to the chair Sora had abandoned. He sat himself down into it and made himself comfortable, laying his still arguing Keyblade across his chest. It took only minutes for Riku to slip into the land of nod, his exhaustion having gotten the better of him at last. With a tired sigh, his mind let go, sending him off into a world of content dreams.

((Gah! shakes hands, blowing on them FAST typing! So if there are typos...DEAL WITH IT! That's TEN pages! Twice the ammount you got last time! Are you happy? You'd better be! I worked my BUTT off on this chapter! Repay me with kind reviews!

Oh yes! Before I forget! The Disclaimer! pulls out a remote with a BIG red button on it, grins Best Buy has it all. pushes button

(frustrated looking guy with icey blue eyes and blue hair gets lowered by wires, another with the whole Silver Haired Bishy thing going for him skipping along the floor under the first, both of which are adorned in Pink Tutus)

Crystallus: I will get you for this....

Gaia: continues skipping

blinks a few times The Sign! Where's the Sign?!

Crystallus: sighs irritably, pulls out a sign from thin air that reads "I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS!"

...I suppose I should have put this act in during the Prologue. And I DO own Julian, Atari, Desolation, and Oblivion....but I don't suppose that counts for much...Hum...walks off))


	5. Dealing with the Darkside

Chapter IV

"The Keyblade Master?!" the voice rang angrily through the stone room. "He's here, in OUR realm?!"

"Yes, Lord Teluha." Juli responded softly, her head bowed and her gaze refusing to meet his.

"And he is still ALIVE?!"

The girl winced at the shout, her eyes falling closed. "My Lord, it was not my responsibility to destroy the Keyblade Master."

"No," he rumbled in response. "You are quite right, Julian. It was your sister's job to take care of things above, and she shall suffer for her failure."

Juli frowned at this, her eyes opening to a silted point.

"You, however, are to take care of everything down here, and the fact that you have seen the Kayblade Master, and he still lives for you did not dispose of him, is highly unforgivable!" Teluha's voice rose as he spoke into yet another yell.

"But my Lord," Juli's head lifted as the man before her stood. "The Princess! Her being in our captive-"

"Makes him weak!" he roared in response, forcing Juli to wince once again. "I can see that you and Atari are unable to fulfill the simplest of tasks that I give the two of you. I shall just have to try something new." he extended a skinny hand, snapping long, bone-like fingers.

From the shadows melted a cloaked form, one which was not much taller then Juli. The face was dark, no light penetrating to help with identification, the cloak nearly floor flowing like all the others. A gloved hand lifted to the figure's chest, the body then bent into a respective bow.

"You know your orders." Teluha practically purred in delight. "Go, carry them out, and do not disappoint me."

The figure lifted and nodded, then turned on a heel and exited from the chamber in smooth strides.

"As for you," Juli flinched as Teluha's voice took a sharp turn to it. "Gather Atari and get back into this chamber. You've new orders to carry out."

Swallowing the lump that had so suddenly decided to take residence in her throat, Juli nodded. "Yes, my Lord." she stood and quickly exited without a second glance backwards.

_'Master Riku...'_ Pretender's mental voice was soft. _'Master Riku...Wake up. You're about to-'_

A hard blow to the arm forced the had-been sleeping Riku to jolt awake in alarm. His hand went instinctively to Pretender and drew him up, swinging the Keyblade hard.

"Hey, hey!" came Sora's familiar voice in protest. "Watch where you're swinging that thing!"

Riku clutched his Keyblade tightly, panting slightly due to the sudden awakening he had just witnessed.

"Its called Decafe, Riku. Drink it sometime."

_'I say,' _Avenger snickered. _'Is your Master always this jumpy, Pretender?'_

_'Shut up, Twig.'_ Pretender snapped in response.

"Alright you two, none of that." Sora snorted. "Especially not first thing in the morning."

"What time is it?" Riku asked groggily.

"No idea." Sora replied. "This place has no real day or night you know, but I figured that since the streets are a lighter grey then they were about three or four hours ago, it must be morning."

Riku groaned softly as he shifted his position. A chair was not his favorite place to sleep, but it was one he was definitely getting used to. His grip on the Keyblade relaxed and he lifted his free hand to his face, pulling the blindfold away from his eyes to rub them.

"Whoa..." Sora took a step forward.

"What?" Riku blinked his visionless eyes slowly, listening as Sora took another timid step forward.

"Your eyes..."

"What about them?" he arched an eyebrow at this.

"They glow..." Sora sounded almost unbelieving as he spoke these words.

Riku felt the other lean forward for a better look and leaned back himself. "Dang, Sora, back off."

Sora wrenched back at the other's sudden move. "I'm sorry, that's just so...so strange."

Yeah well..." Riku mumbled in response, tying the blindfold back around his head.

"Why do they do that?" Sora questioned, his tone now calmer then it had been, but still held that curious edge to it.

"Do what?" Riku turned his head in the other's direction again.

"Don't give me that, why do your eyes glow, Riku?"

He paused for a moment. In all actuality, he himself wasn't sure why his eyes did what they did. Of course, he couldn't see them to really describe their effect, but he really didn't think that him being able to see his own eyes or not was really a big deal at the moment.

"And once again, you've become a Space Case." Sora sighed, shaking his head.

"What are we going to do about Kairi?" Riku finally spoke, wanting to change the subject to anything else in anyway possible.

"I don't know." Sora again sighed. "Maybe she'll just turn up somewhere...Who knows?"

A loud explosion drew both's attention to the window.

"Shit." Riku frowned as he sprung to his fee. "C'mon, Sora! We'll discuss Kairi later!"

The two skidded out the room's door, making their way quickly down the stairs. Oddly enough, Riku did this easily, but the lack of questions from his best friend meant that this matter concerned Sora far more then it did himself.

'Typical.' he thought, tightening his grip on Pretender. 'Sora the Hero to the rescue.' he rolled his eyes behind the blindfold at that thought.

The two reached the bottom floor in sync, their stepped matching up as they headed for the outside domain.

"Wait," Riku ground to a halt, his head turning to face nearly every direction it could without him moving his body.

"What?" Sora frowned, having stopped just ahead of the other.

"This is stupid, we're rushing in head first into something we know absolutely nothing about."

Sora thought about this for a moment. "Which is normal for us." he finally responded, sounding a bit impatient.

"Which is why we ended up in bed for days at a time waiting injuries to heal themselves up." Riku snorted in response. "Go to the window and look, WITHOUT being seen."

Sora groaned at this, but did as he was told.

"Well?"

"There's nothing out there..." Sora took a step back. "That is so weird, I mean, we just-"

Another explosion blew, sending both boys rather rudely from the building's premises, via a crumbling wooden wall. Riku pushed himself to his feet with a grunt of pain. He flexed his hand and stopped. Pretender had been separated from his hand.

"Riku! behind you!" Sora bellowed.

With a quick turn, Riku avoided an attempted attack. The air that brushed against his face as he leaned back told him that he'd barely been missed. He spin again at the crinkling of material, hoping he'd managed himself out of harm's way. A sharp blow to the shoulder convinced him other wise.

"Sora! What are you doing out there?!"

"I'm BUSY!" came the grunted reply.

_'My Master is currently unavailable right now,'_ Avenger mused._ 'Please shut up and deal with your OWN problem!'_

"Ugh!" was all Riku could say in response to the other's Keyblade.

_'Master Riku, I really MUST insist that you call me to your hand before I am carted off by some filthy Heartless!'_

Again Riku's hand flexed, Pretender appearing in it seconds later. He twisted the Keyblade around and brought it to a defensive hold in front of him. The offending person lunged again, colliding a set of weapons with Riku's, ones he himself couldn't place.

"Keyblade Master." it hissed and used the fact that its weapons and Riku's were locked to flip itself over Riku's head to get to Sora.

"Sora!" Riku called, spinning just as a frey of Heartless swarmed his way.

He couldn't tell now if Sora had heard him in time or not, but a fresh sense of panic washed over him like a wave when there was no response from the younger boy. He swung his Keyblade, slashing and hacking through the masses. The Heartless kept swarming, their numbers seeming to come out of no where.

"Holy." the command for the spell echoed through the area.

Everything seemed to stop. The Heartless froze in place, Riku's Keyblade stopped mid-swing, even his breathing seemed to have ceased. Then, as if it had all been sped back up, a shockwave of energy shot through the street, forcing Riku to his knees, gripping his head. The pressure of the spell impacted with the sound of a bomb being dropped, its effect incinerating the Heartless instantly.

Once able to breathe correctly again, Riku's head lifted slowly. He reached a hand for his chest, as if checking to make sure he was, in fact, alright before he pushed himself to his feet.

"Sora?!" he called, his voice etched with panic.

"He lives." came the soft reply. "The spell does not kill those True of Heart."

He started at this. It didn't harm those True of Heart? Then why hadn't he been killed?

"The Unknown?!" he gasped, turning his body rigidly in every direction.

"Gone. Called back to Teluha."

"Who?" Riku had turned back to the other.

At that point, Sora groaned, obviously coming to." What-" he gasped and Riku heard him scramble to his feet. "You! What are you doing here?!"

"Saving your life." came the smooth response.

"Why?" Sora snapped. "What would your Master say?"

"I HAVE no Master!" the other snapped back.

"S'that so? What happened, Atari?" Sora's tone was venomous. "Get tired of being on the losing side?"

"The last time I checked, Keyblade Master, they ARE the winning side. Your's is losing, badly I might add."

"Alright!" Riku interrupted before Sora could retort. "What's going on and WHY, Atari, did you save our skins?"

"I need your help." came the growled reply.

Sora snorted at this. "Why should we help you?"

"Because if you don't want to end up killing your precious Princess the next time you meet, you'll help me."

"What?" Riku's face scrunched in confusion.

Atari sighed. "We've much to talk about. IF you say you'll help me, I'll explain."

Riku hesitated at this point. He didn't know what to do or say in response now.

"Riku," Sora sounded surprised. "You can't honestly be considering this." Riku didn't respond. "Riku! She's out enemy!"

"Then why did she risk her neck and probably her life to save us?"

Sora didn't respond this time.

With a deep sigh, Riku turned in Atari's direction again. "Fine, we'll help you."

"Wonderful. We-"

"IF," Riku continued. "You help us get Kairi back." he stuck his hand out to shake and confirm their deal.

It seemed to take a few, very drawn out moments for Atari to decide on this, but after what seemed to be careful consideration on her part, his hand was gripped firmly and shook.

"Great, where do we start?" Riku asked with a half hearted grin pressed to his lip, ignoring Sora's groan from behind him.

"With the problem." came Atari's calm seeming response.

((Well, well...Lookie there. I finally finished it....S'about damn time. -rubs the back of her neck- It's a lot of writing...I do it all on note book paper first THEN I type it all up! So its a lot of work to get this thing done! Oi...By the way, this whole story is a brand new attempt. I've shifted my writing style for it. This isn't something I normally do. So! With that said...We'll start in on the NEXT chapter...))


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